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What is a histologic technician and how to become one
A his/her tologic technician is a medical laboratory worker that specializes in his/her tology - the study of the microscopic structure of tissue and cells of living things. They perform laboratory procedures to prepare tissue specimen for microscopic examination and analysis. These procedures may include fixation, embedding, dehydration, logging, sectioning, staining, and mounting of the tissue specimen.
Histologic technicians play a very important role in diagnosing and treating diseases by turning tissue samples into microscope slides. They work together with other medical staff to ensure proper tissue harvesting, preparation, and preservation. Pathologists then examine the slides to come up with a diagnosis and treatment.
Histological technicians usually work in hospital labs, research facilities, government agencies, or medical institutions. They work normal hours but at different shifts from time to time.
Avg. Salary $49,962
Avg. Salary $59,228
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.80%
Asian 12.03%
Black or African American 10.58%
Hispanic or Latino 17.08%
Unknown 5.11%
White 54.40%
Genderfemale 69.59%
male 30.41%
Age - 44American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 44Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Histologic technician career paths
Key steps to become a histologic technician
Explore histologic technician education requirements
Start to develop specific histologic technician skills
Skills Percentages ASCP 14.86% Patients 11.57% Tissue Specimens 5.43% CLIA 4.05% IHC 3.94% Complete relevant histologic technician training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New histologic technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a histologic technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real histologic technician resumes.Gain additional histologic technician certifications
More About CertificationsHistologic technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific histologic technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for histologic technicians include Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) and Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT(AAB)).
Research histologic technician duties and responsibilities
- Perform routine histology/cytology procedures and IHC and manage 7-20 staff members.
- Develop and implement health and safety protocols and procedures in accordance with CLIA and OSHA regulations
- Develop a higher grade eosin for stainline.
- Enter patient specimens into the EMR system/file patient records.
Prepare your histologic technician resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your histologic technician resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a histologic technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable histologic technician resume templates
Build a professional histologic technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your histologic technician resume.
Apply for histologic technician jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a histologic technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first histologic technician job
Are you a histologic technician?
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Average histologic technician salary
The average histologic technician salary in the United States is $49,962 per year or $24 per hour. Histologic technician salaries range between $33,000 and $75,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do histologic technicians rate their job?
Histologic technician reviews
Hands on work and being able to learn new things everyday. Working side by side with the medical director was great too.
Not enough time to learn special Stains due to the department closing down
I love my work. I make art everyday, I enjoy being good at it and knowing that I help people and am a huge part of the diagnosis process. I’m thankful to have fallen into histology.
In general histotechs are under appreciated and that can affect the group atmosphere at work. I’ve worked with a lot of bitter histotechs. They’re great people, but after many years become angry and bitter. Hard to be around. I still love my job though.
Updated January 8, 2025
